Apparatus for drying grain and the like



Sept. 8, 1931. N. G. MOREIRA APPARATUS FOR DRYING GRAIN AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I um,

ATTORNEYS Sept. 8, 1931.

N. s. MOREIRA 1 821383 APPARATUS FOR DRYING GRAIN AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9. 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEy Patented Sept. 8, 1931 Parent oFFicE NICOLINO GUIMARAES, MOREIBA, OF LIMEIRA, BRAZIL APPARATUS FOR. DRYING GRAIN AND THE LIKE Application filed November 9, 1929, Serial No. 406,080, and in Brazil September 21, 1929.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for drying grain and the like; and has for its object the provision of an apparatus of this kind through which the drying 6 may be carried out in the surest, most efficient and less expensive manner, thus possessing over the driers at present in use really valuable advantages.

It is known that one of the greatest difculties encountered in drying such products as the various vegetable grains is the proviion of a temperature which varies only within very narrow limits or, in other words, the provision of a temperature approximately the same throughout the operation of drying, which temperature should be the most appropriate to the drying of the product, without, however, altering these qualities, which give it a commercial value, since, with such regularity of temperature is avoided any inequality in the drying.

Another difticulty encountered originates in the fact that not all the components of a mass of grain contain the same degree of moisture, which results, in the driers used at present, in unequal drying.

Finally, a third difiiculty is encountered in the fact that it is necessary to advance the mass of grain through the drier economically, since in the driers known at present this result is accomplished only by means of complicated mechanism which increase the cost of the drier, and also, permanently, the operating expenses, by the increased power used, specially in case the mass of grain has to go through the drier over'and over again.

In the drier built according to the present invention the above ditliculties are done away with and the product being uniformly dried and the consumption of power very small.

To attain such results, the mass of grain is advanced along the drier by gravity, receiving throughout its passage through the drier hot air currents, at a perfectly regulated temperature, which currents contribute to equalize the degree of a moisture of the separate grains, the mass being extracted continuously from the drier, in a small quantity and, in case it be necessary, sent to the top or" the apparatus where it is spread, to undergo drying again.

Thus organized the apparatus built according to the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fi z l is a longitudinal section through the center of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of same; and Figs. 8, 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of details of the structure.

The apparatus comprises a central chamber 1, having at the sides two smaller chambers 2, 3 and may be made of metallic plates or any other suitable material, the central chamber being open at the top and the lateral chambers entirely closed.

The central chamber 1 terminates at the bottom by a hopper 4; which extends throughout the length of the chamber, said hopper: having a double bottom the inner one of which ends short of the sides of the chamber 10, to provide openings along said sides, under which are arranged rolls 11, Fig. 3, fitted with helical blades 12 and mounted revolubly so as to cause a small amount of the grain contained in the drier to fall into a receptacle ll. In the latter is arranged to run continuously an endless band 15 of any suitable material, fitted with buckets 16, the band going up one side of the drier, across the top and down the other side. Band 15, as Wellas rolls 11 may be driven by means of pulleys 17, 18, respectively, one of which is connected with any suitable motor. 7

Near the center of chamber 1 is provided a pipe 5, of relatively large diameter and across the chamber, without any communication with the latter and opening at the ends into the side chambers 2, 3. lVithin pipe 5 is provided a fan 6, driven through any convenient means, not shown.

Within chamber 1 are mounted, spaced from each other, rows of horizontal struts 7,

the struts of one row being staggered from those of adjacent rows. Struts 7 are V shaped in cross section, with the V inverted. The struts of one half the rows have one end opening into chamber 2, the ends of those of the other half opening into chamber 3. 5

Into chamber 2 leads a flue 8, communicating the chamber with a furnace, not shown.

The apparatus as a whole may be mounted on a suitable frame 9, so as to be placed somewhat above the ground.

If the apparatus just described is filled with any kind of grain to be dried and the fan 6 is started, the fan will suck the air from chamber 2, forcing it into chamber 3, through pipe 5. With the air current is drawn part of the combustion gases of the furnace above mentioned. The air enters the struts the ends of which open into chamber 3, goes through the mass of grain and returns to chamber 2 through the struts the ends of which open into the latter chamber, to be again drawn by the fan, carrying another amount of the combustion gases from the furnace. To this amount of gases thus entering the air current, corresponds an equal amount which goes out of the apparatus through its top.

WVith such an arrangement, it is easil seen that the heat the air loses into contact with the mass of grain is recuperated continuously as the air returns to chamber 2. In this way. it becomes easy to control the temperature of the air Within very narrow limits of variation, by regulating the amount of gases from the furnace which are carried by the air current, since the air circulates in a practically closed cycle.

On the other hand, the difference in the degree of moisture of the various portions of the mass of grain is gradually eliminated by the air current, which absorbs the moisture from those portions which have an excess of it and imparts it to the portions which are deficient in moisture, thus promoting a perfectly equalized drying.

If a small quantity of the grain is removed continuously from the bottom of the apparatus, the whole mass of grain contained in same descends between the struts, the grain being thus continuously stirred, an intimate contact being secured between the grain and the air in circulation.

The lifting device, above described, carries out this part of the drying operation, taking the grain to the top of the apparatus, where it is spread upon the mass.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for drying grain and the like, comprising a central chamber in which the grain is placed and two side chambers, V-shaped struts connecting the two side chambers via the central chamber and a tub-e connecting the two side chambers directly, said tube containing a fan and crossing the central chamber, without any communication with the latter, the revolving fan gencrating an air current promoting the circulation of air through said chambers.

2. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, a pipe connected at one end to a source of heat and at the other end to said tube, and serving to introduce a quantity of hot air or combustion gases in the tube, the main current generated by the fan located in the tube which crosses the central chamber being thereby maintained constantly at the optimum temperature.

3. Apparatus for drying granular material, comprising a central chamber for the granular material, two side chambers associated with the central chamber, a member passing through the central chamber and connecting said side chambers together Without connecting them with said central chamber, means for connecting each of said side chambers directly with the central chamber, means in said first connecting member for drawing air from one of the side chambers and urging it directly into the other side chamber, and means for circulating the air from said second side chamber back into said first side chamber through said central cham- In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

NlCOLlNO GUIMARAES MOREIRA. 

